PUT THE FUN BACK INTO OWNING A CAR! THIS SEVENTH ANNUAL SPECIAL SECTION. PREPARED BY THE AUTO EDITORS, ANSWERS QUESTIONS MOST ASKED OF PM's CAR CLINIC— ITLL MAKE YOU MASTER OF YOUR MACHINE! FORD MODEL T Hard starting has always been, and still is, a car owner's number one problem — but not if you know the secrets of good car care! and hesitation are also tops on the list of problems with late-model cars. Missi urging and lack of power run close seconds. Have you experienced any of these so far? How about poor fuel economy? Getting more mpg is more important now than ever. Power train noise can be shut out with earmuffs but that’s no cure. Shimmy and shakes are among the symptoms in the poor problem area. Oil loss is another messy thing many of you have experienced. Add brakes, overheating, tires and paint and body problems and you know why cars are first on the official list of consumer complaints these days we name the cars recalled during the last 10 years—check to see if yours is on the list.It pays to take care of your body. Now more than ever. Because, for a limited time only, inside every Duro™ Body Shop” Kit is a coupon good for a $2 manufacturer’s rebate on the Duro Rustproofing Kit. That's in addition to the money you save doing it yourself. When you buy the Duro Body Shop and Duro Rustproofing Kits, you don’t need to pay hundreds of dollars to professionals to get professional results. Inside each kit is plenty of everything you need to do the right job, including easy-to-follow, illustrated instructions. You'll find that doing your own body repairs and rustproofing is virtually fool- proof with Duro kits. See for yourself how easy and economical it is with the Duro Body Shop Kit and Duro Rustproofing Kit. Now —_.., especially while there’s a $2 rebate. You'll DURO wonder why everyone doesn’t do it themselves. When you do it with Duro, — you do it right. comcmermeseey 1979een eee COLEMAN’ CAR CARE GUIDE ad Contos || pale PINPOINT THE PROBLEMS! , YUP, CAR CARE REALLY IS EASIER THAN EVER! xi ee een nent rere cn) SECTION 2. Pre rea Tete eg ceed SECTION 3. Peres eter ty Seige No air? Paneer eter : y No sweat! Operates from 12-v auto cigarette lighter. SECTIONS. , pumps up to 150 p.s.i Leen ea a) For passenger tires. fee A 4WD, pickup and RV tires. Z motorcycle and bike tires... SECTION 6. air shocks. .. footballs, Ce basketballs, volleyballs. dozens of other uses. een ‘And it's the one with Brake trouble Coleman quality. So you know you can count on it in the clutch. SECTIONS pert SECTION 9, poe eg SECTION 10: Leroy eT Sere te ee ee tener pene et a etre eon fia ny ipa ny anes ET Rae cer ceierte te er Pat otek eve ea gee Fhe Cuan cass cao Mer Mere tied Ree NOW IN LEADING AUTOMOTIVE DEPARTMENTS MAY 1! 153CH TLE Gti, Wot LG BOONIE BUG DUTCH MINI-BARN Popular Mechanics plans have been helping readers do the “'im- possible” for over 75 years. Here are just « few of the exciting PM plan projects, SCAMP-A revolutionary all- metal, VW-powered acrobatic bi- plane that puts you in the air for loss money than you'd think pos- sible! With PM plans, man's dream of solo flight is easily attained. Featured in Dec, 1973 feeue) BOONIE BUG—A dynamic, new vehicle concept! Constructed from a VW bus chassis, the ‘Boonie’ offers the goanywhere ruggedness ofan ATV, the sleeping and camp- ing facilities of an enclosed van and the smooth-tiding quality of a conventional station wagon at highway speeds—lll rolled into the slickest looking vehicle ever! Do- ityourself with PM plans. $14.95 (Featured in March, 197 ies) DUTCH MINI-BARN—You con erect our most popular backyard storage structure for under $600. The roof design is somewhere be- tween aambrel and mansard but it reminds us of Dutch colonial architecture. With 8 ft. of head- room inside and 10 ft. by 13% ft. floorspaceit's fairly large although it looks small. More than enough room for bicycles, lawn fumiture, garden tools or use it as an office workshop orpotting shed. Two sets of plans included, one for yourself and one for your building depart: ment. $5.95 (ootured in August, 1972{esu8) STORYBOOK PLAYHOUSE Put up a shed and the neighbors may hate you, but build this hand- some little house and you'll be the hero of the neighborhood—espe- cially amona the small fry! This compact structure looks more like @ storybook cottage than a tool- house—but you can readily use it forstorage. In fact, wide bam-type 154 POPULAR MECHANICSSTORYBOOK PLAYHOUSE ‘ sevpa-row doors in the back lead to a specicl tool-storage room walled off from the playrooms. You can hang a lot of garden tools inside and still pro- vide plenty of play space. An extra set of plans is included for a build- ing permit. $5.49 (Peotured i Joy, 1973 tesue) LAND AND WATER AIR CUSHION VEHICLE-A o- anywhere cir-prop craft, the excit- ing Cobra ACV skims land or sea at speeds up to BOMPH. 14 ft. long, with room for two passengers this innovative vehicle will cost you less than $800 to build. A unique project for the serious doit-your- selfer (caution must be paid in fol- lowing all operating instructions). ‘The joys of owning and operating this futuristic hover vehicle are truly inestimable, $12.95 eatured in Sept, 1975 issue) SCUBA-TOW-"The electric-pow- ‘ered sec scooter that performs like costly commercial models! Motor- ized Scuba-Tow will pull you on or under the water for hours of effort- less snorkeling or scuba diving. Ruaced. lidht weight and depend- cble—you can build Scuba-Tow in a weekend ot two from PM plans. $7.95 (Featured in July, 1974 lease) Popular Mechanics has hundreds of other exciting projects and step- by-step plans for you to choose from. Send today for the complete cata- logue. Just 50¢. Popular Mechanics, ep. 578 Bor 1014, 1-Y., N.Y. 10019 Please rush me the PM plons and/or catalogue Scamp Dutch Mini-barn Osi938 Oss95 Boonie Bug Storybook Playhouse OD s495 Ossas Land & Water Air Cushion Vehicle sizes SeuheTow PM Plans Cateleg D879 soe Nome ‘Address " Sta Zp Please dlip and mail with check or money order MAY 1979 155PM shows you how to pinpoint the problems that we know have been plaguing you if you’re the owner of a’68 to '78 model car! fake 2000 representative let- | Power-train noise is next and | Each secton contains: port wnat you believe is a safety ters received by Car Ciinic, | accounts for 10.5 percent of the | © Checklist charts that sum- | hazard with a vehice or vehicle- feed them into a computer, and | complaints. Power-train noise is | marize problems and causes. | related component, call the ‘what comes out? A revealing in- | noise coming from the engine, | Troubleshooting procedures. | NHTSA Auto Sefety Hotine, The sight into the most widespread | transmission, drive line and dit- | & Repairinstrucions. tollttee number is 800-424-9398. problems plaguing owners of | ferential “Ti ra necten ee tha your's a ‘When making a call. have your TOP Tornoe tet Wt Tied for fifth place are poor | Car Care Guide is a compilation | yenicie Identification Number ‘The computer told us thathard | roadatilty (shimmy, vibration end | of motor vehicle ssfoty recall | (vin) avaliable. You wil find the starting, stalling and hesitation | poor handing) and oil joss. Each | campaigns involving major | number on the car, usually on the ‘ead the list. A tota of 29.8 pe'- | accounts for 6 percent of the total. | domestic and foreign vehicle | griver’s side of the dash panel in cent of our readers experience manulacturers in the wietshiel a conser ee “Ti ioreaesic et ia bar ts corner near the windshield. this tamiy ofengine protien, | |, The It your car is listed and you | The VIN is normally visible A120.4 percent, missing, surg- | “Brake maifunctons 3.2% | aren't certain that the corrective | through the windshield from out- ‘ng and ackol power are second. | Gyermeating 17% | action has been taken, rturnthe | sidethe car. This is followed by poor fue! | Abnormaltre wear 16% | cer toa dealer. Repairs willbe | 6.16.4 cstting to the how-to economy, wth 17.3 percent 3 fore getting to the how=t Paint wearlbody rust 16% | madetree of charge, Pill ia glad The section on recalls was pre- | for a look at how much easier it's pared with the cooperation of tho | to take care of care now being built National Highway Traffic Safety | compared to some of the ‘Administration (NHTSA), U.S. | machines of yesteryear! This Car Care Guide discusses | Department of Trans- how to troubleshoot and repair the | portaton.tyouwish add ‘mast common problems revealed | tional information about by our survey of 1968-78 models. | a recall, or want to re- Other Car Cinic letters tal into an “Information Request” or Miseellanaouis” catagory 6% Pe ROADABILITYTCU ai aces ee et MeN) Nema hg Renton See au Marcel tn ele a ener eae) In fact, the Radial-Matic shock is the first to combine five proven ride improvement features Pe re But just to make sure you know we aim to ee NCTE ure Ds aaa ieee tna hea ee CN a Ct Get a set of Monroe Radial-Matics PR Pur Cg nia Pea gC ten ethan) PENTA nek rare Cr ne eect Pucca enema c) ZB Na Mee eee ar) ask himfora setof Gere tecs They'll make Old Paint eM eS tePON Corto) Bonecer a ge Ra Kele Rel 7 Soa el ok- Ric R UR Ule Meet ROro have kept your grease gun in a holster! Coosa ee eee seer Re ete! Cee Sune ROR U Reels Rae 1978 Pontiac. with airconditioning, . time cars. This article teports facts Pa etn te eee Ce a Pe CCRC uc em Renee Car ee Ct ae OEE Rusa acon RESP Ml om cel Have the passing years dulled chased a Ford V8 for as low as CCU ua eae ee ee ee Se a Make Te ee ee emu CE elie eee ec eT eC Cane TC Rare PU Re US ee eA eee ena ae eee MU Reh Rotor) Ce horned cee es etc Pee Crk’ ge) Pa teed ce Air convertible used mechanical it needed adjusiment, cleaning and periodic replacemer |do youhaveon your ignition, of course!eee rey oes Ronse ea | Cissy ees teequent visits to the Pe ond erate Penn ah LeSemen eo YUP, CAR CARE REALLY IS EASIER THAN EVER! ing cars themselves to save a buck This meant doing 221 indvidual servicing proce- uresover a year's period Ryeorsparienn the 1979 Ford Mustang requires 33\ scheduled maintenance procedures over a 50,000-nile period (equivalent to four years). Things didnt change much during the 30s ‘ard iro the 40s. There was no such thingas ¢ Saturday mechanic, An owner of a1939 DeSo- to, forinetance, had tobe a Saturday-Sunday- and-half-ol-Monday mechanic. Prool lies. in these scheduled procedures he had to do: I Every 1000 miles, lubricate lower control 41939 DeSoto wae a car In the Chrysler family. The marque bit the dust in 1961. ‘arm pivot pins, lower conirol-arm pivot shatts, igermediate arm bushings, drag link, mner and outer tie rods, kingpins. upper control-arm pivot pins, rear-spring shackles, universal joints, rear-spring front bolts, brake and clutch pedal bearings, Cutch auxiliary shaft stating ‘Motor, distributor shal, distributor cam, gener- ator, door tock oil pads, door hinges, door han- dles, cylinder locks, door-check linkages, win- dow-regulator arms and hood. 1 Every 1000 miles, fil the transmission, rear fae, bralie master eyiindor, battory and chook absorbers. Change engine of every 2000 mies. I Twice yearly (5000 mies), drain, fush and refill the rear axle, cooling system and stan- dard transmission; lubricate the speedometer cable ans refil the staering gear; drain, clean ‘and refil the carburetor cil-bath air cleaner. 160 POPULAR MECHANICS. wr ara ane 1949 Chrysler Town & Country with its woodis sides had its own special mainte- ‘nance problem: you needed sandpaper, ox- alle acid and vamisn to properly care for the body! PAST AND PRESENT SERVICING COMPARED 1949 CHRYSLER, 1979 CHRYSLER SERVICE INTERVAL SERVICE THTERVAL ‘ircate chassis 000 mies. Lubvicale chases. 30,000 mes. Serves carburetor ar clearer 1000mnies. Replace carburetor after 90,000 miles otal ties. 2500rmiles. Rate tres 10.000 miles. ‘Charge motor ol ‘5000 mies. ‘Change motor ci 12 months or 12,000 mies. ‘Change of tor. ‘So00rmies. Change ol ter 72 months or "24000 mils. Service ol tile pe cap ar S000 miles. ‘Giean craricase hit a 50,600 mies. — ceane ‘leaner Rajat bakes Booomies __—_ Adust brakes. Notrequred ‘heck generator charging 5.000 mies. ‘Check aerator charging Net required. tao. fate ‘ajst catch, 5.000 mi ‘Adust itch. 72.000 miles inapeck eojust ove bok 5000 mies. Inspec, just dive bel Engine tuneu. 10,000 mles.____Engine tuneup. Engine tuneun. 10,000 mies. Engine tuneup. 724,000 miles, Drain, ell automatic vans. 10,000 miles. Drain, rel automate tan Drain gas tark (fe lean out 10,000 mies, Replace fuel er. I rer rern eis emerson eetircee sero pennmrmnreetiomsemamen=saiai Senice font wheel bearings. 10,000 miles ___Serice Wort wheel Dealings. 60,000 miles. [Adjust heads. 10,000 mies. Adjust headighs. Not required breate speedometer cable, 10,000 mies, Litrato speedometer cable. Not requed Drain, Rush, refilvear ade 000 mies.___Drain, tush, rel rear a Not required. Flemove and repeck wnvesal__ 2,000 miles. Remove ard repack universal Notvequred ‘Lubrcate rear wheel bearings. 20,000 miles Lubricate rear wheel beings, _Nolreauired rain, fash refi cooing system. Early spring fal. Drain, lush, rel cooing system. 28 months, thon avery yoar (50,000 mies. 1 Yeaty (0,000 miles, rain, ash an refit automatic tranemizsion, and ropaok the reer chassis springs ard covers: ‘What about durability? Did cars of the 20s ‘and '40s give less troublo? Consider: How vawes in Fords, Mercurys and Lin- colrs of the 1830s needed frequent adjust- ment. It valves weren't adjusted promptly, Pounding damaged them. 1H How the power brake shaft in the 1934 Chryaior Aitow (yoo, it had a power brake) which was situated on the lower ral, accumu: lated road spray, rusted and jammed. Ml How tho roar Duflex eprings of tho 1028, 1899, 1940 and 1961 Pontiac didn't tex lenough and used to break; 0: how the timing chain in the same cars had a way of snap: ing.How crankshafte in 1941 and 1942 Buicks went out of round. Mt How transmissions in 1946, 1947 and 1948 Chevys jammed in gear. Factory service bulletins are nothing new. They were in existence back then, too. Car care, 1940s style “Those who think fondly ofthe “od days” of- tenpoint out the cificuly of working ona mod- exncar. Some do-t-yourseters point out that it takes “forever” justto gat at sparkglugs torre placement because of aondtioning. emis- Sions controle and other plumbing. In some ceases, replacing sparklugs of newer cars is ‘more BOK AS9 HICKORY, H.C. 28601, MAY 1879171cancajkoume quick cold-engine starting and warm-up. When the engine is cold, thermostat coil tension holds the choke valve closed over tne carbure- tor throat so the engine gets a mixture rich in ‘92s. The tharmostat coll is usually located in a vacuust (CHOKE VALVE MANIFOLD VACUUM DILROD Automatic choke system gives engines the ‘ight mixture for stall-free starts. choke cap on the carburetor or in 2 wall in the engine, The thermostatic coll is connected to the ccnoke vaive in ine carburetor throat. 11 ne coM {is housed in the choke cap, itis connected to the choke valve by a piston andsshatt. the coll ‘is housed ina wellin the engine, itis connected to the choke vaive by a long rod. Chokes having the thermostat col in achoke cap are called stove-type chokes. You will ind stove-type chokes on carburetors used on AMG, Ford and GM engines. Chrysler Corp. engines generally use well-ype chokes. Let us Use a stove-type choke to explain how chokes work. ‘As you crank a cold engine, air pressure against the offset choke valve and the action of ‘choke pision cause the valve, which is closed 3hily over the carburetor throat because of thermostat coil tension, to opensiightly.A ther- rmostat coil is at maximum tension when itis Cold and releases tension as fi gets warm. ‘As forthe action of the choke piston. intake manifold vacuum pulls the piston down in its cylinder, which helps to pull the choke valve open sighty when the engine is cold. All this, lacton is to make sure thal even when a cold engine is cranked, it won't get a fuel mixture Consisting of 100 percent gasoline. Pure gas cant burn, It needs alr. | When the engine starts, continued pull on | the piston by engine vacuum and the force of | air against the choke valve overcome thermo- stat Coil tension to allow the choke valve to ‘assume a partially open position. As the piston moves down inits cylinder, slots in he sides of the cylinder open so heated air from the ex- haust maniold enters the thermostat col hous- ing. This warm air causes the thermostat coil ‘spring to gradually lose tension, and the coll releases iis hold on the choke valve. Within a minute or so after a cold engine is stared. the choke valve atains a fully open positon, Other cold-engine assiststarting mechanisms ‘The automatic choke works. hand-n-hand | with he carburetor ast isle mechanism to pro-vent stalling during engine warm-up. A tastidle ‘cam, which activates the carburetor throttle plete, isocated onthe side of the carburetor. It Is attached to the choke valve shaft by a Ink ‘age. The cam rotates into position against a {ast idle screw when the shaft moves. (On the cam are indentatons called "steps. ‘As the choke valve shaft moves and the cam rotates, the fast-idle screw skips trom one step to another o provide the ideal engine speed in relation to the choke valve opening. When the choke valve is fully opened, the fastidle cam ‘lates free of the fast-idle screw, which allows the carburetor throttle plate to return to curb- idle position ‘Most models produced in the 1970s also have avacuum break and electric assist unt to increase the efficiency of automatic chokes. These components open the choke plate as Quickly as possible to provide the leanest (uel minture needed for starting. Getting the plate ‘open quickly reduces the richness of fuel the ‘engino consumes and, thorolore, cuts down on ‘exhaust emissions. If either the vacuum break (r the electric-assist unit malfunctions, the air to gas rato is upset and staling can occur ‘Note: I an engine floods during startng, you can clear fuel from the intake manifold by siam- ‘ming the gas pedai to the floor and keeping it thara as yeu crank the angine With the accal- erator in this position, a tang on the throttle lever fits against the fastide cam, which causes the chcke rod to move up. This opens the choke valve allowing arintothe carburetor, which helps clear the flooding condition. Testing chokes Testing an automatic choke is done by ob- sening 1. Romove the carburetor air clean- er while the engine is cold. The choke ‘Valve should be closed tightly over the carbure- torthoat.¥itient, have anaeztant proce tho ‘accelerator pedal othe floor and let up. The valve shoud close. I not, the chcke mec fig probeply needs servicing 2. Crank the engine. AS this is being one, the cnoke valve shoud open slighty. As the engine stats and begins warming up, the valve stould continue opening andengine ile Should ‘gradually drop trom fost to normal speed. 3. Clean linkage ithe choke mechansm needs servicing) to eliminate a sticking cond tion. Also, apply carburetor clesner around the choke valve. i this docen't solve the problem, Yyou may have to disassemble the choke mech [nism © replace the thermostal col and ree a Binsing piston, but frst test both the vacuum break and the elecrc-assist unt. Testing a vacuum break ithe choke valve dossntt open and there is ‘a vacuum break on the carburetor, veify that the vacuum break is working. Sart engine, and alternately pull and push the vacuum hose off land on the vacuum break. If vacuum break linkage doesn't move, replace vacuum break Testing an electric-assist unit The procedure for testing an electric-assist unt varies rom one car to another. The follow- ing explanation apalies to a single-stage con- trol, consisting of a control switch and ceramic STP Son of a Gun!’s unique 2-silicone formula helps keep tires, vinyl tops, dashboards, doorpanels, and upholstery looking rich and supple. Restore and maintain your car's appearance with STP Son of aGun!CAR cai GUIDE heating olemert, which is used on many Chrysler Corp. engines. The procedure is of- ‘ered as an example to demonstrate that test- ing the mechanism is not difficult To test the control switch: 1. Remove BAT electric terminal trom the control switch. 2. Connect a 12-volt testlight fo the ‘witch's oad torminal, whichis the smalltormi: nal, and to ground, ‘3. Start the engine. 4. Reconnect the BAT electric ter- minal. Thetestight shouldlight. tmay stay it fora fewseconds orlongor, but trust not stay ‘on for more than five minutes. If the testiight doesn't work this way, replace the control switch, To test ine neating element: 1. Remove BAT electric terminal fromthe control wich. 2. Connect an ohmmeter to choke housing andtouch the other leadto abare spot ‘on the choke wire comecior of the contol ‘switch, but do not touch the ohmmeter to the BATterminal. Areading of 410 12ohms means that he heating elements working, you don't ‘et this reading. replace heating element Handling 2 troublesome thermostat air cleaner Thermostatically controled air_ cleaners have been used since the early 1970's to re- duce the amount of carbon monoxide gener- ated by cold engines. A thermostat air ceaner does this by regulating the temperature of air entering the carburetor. This diagram of Omni air cleaner depicts control damper door has over inlet air. ‘A damper docr in the air cleaner inlet (snor- ke)) closes when the engine is cold. No cold air can enter. Instead. warm air from the exhaust manifold is diverted through a tube to the car- buretor. This cuts down on carbon monoxide, since less carbon monoride is produced when gasoline is mixed with warm ait If the damper door in the snorkel fails to ‘lose when a cold engne 's started, stalling occurs, because the engine isnt calibrated to accept cold air. To determine ifthe thermostat air clearer is causing a staling condition as a cold engine is being started, check the air ‘leaner by observing tne damper door. you cant see the damper door by looking into the nose of the snorkel, remove the air leaner cover and fier element, and check ‘damper door operation trom the backside. You ‘now have a chance to also examine the filter ‘element, which has to be clean and unclogged 474 POPULAR MECHANICS: vacuum DIAPHRAGM Unit Vacuum break pulls the choke plate open to let air mix with gas for combustion. topreventastaling problem. Adirty aircleaner ‘chokes off air entering the engine, forcing the engine to run on aricher-than-normal fuel mix- ture. If the damper door is not closed as you start the engine (Cold), look for: HF Spit orloose hot ak tube from the manifold to the air cleaner. Replace or reconnect. 1 Delective vacuum motor. Unhook the vac- tuum hose thatis connected to the vacuum mo: torat the engine end. Draw in on the hose by ‘mouth or with a vacuum pump. Ifthe damper door does not close, replace the vacuum mo- 1 Deiective sensor. applying vacuum tothe vacuum motor closes the damper door, the ‘Senor is bad. Replace the part by straighten- ing the tangs holding itto the ar cleaner hous ing. ‘ thermostat aircleaner malfunction causes .warm-engine as well as cold-engine stalls. AS the engine starts and warms up, the damper door should open. Itit stays closed, the engine wil stall. Adefective sensor is usually to blame for the damper door staying closed when it should open. Other causes of stalling Carburetor idle speods—Correct sow and fast ide-speed.adjusments are basc tb a properly running engine. Adjust tothe speci ations of the ear manutacturr. Thepropane-asssted meted of seting car- buretoridlehasbeen endorsedby manufactur rs of domestic cars. According to Chiysler Gorp.,"The methed of propane ide set i the only elective and approved procedureto prop- ‘ety set the curb idle speed on all domestic tergines. This procedure is absolutely essen- ‘ta to assure proper performance of a vehicle aswel as emssion elabilty ‘The propane method of adjusting the carbu- retor can help engnes thatexperience not only sialng, but also hesiation, surge and rough ‘aang. 1 Contaminated vel—Contaminated fue re- fers togasoine that contains water dit or oth- er foreign material. Disconnect the fuel ine at the carburetor. Let some cas drop in the palm of your hand. i geo contane water, rope wil ‘emain afer the gas evaporates. Usually, dirt Crother foreign matter makes tel fee! grity as your your tinger int Contaminated gasoine requires draining of the fuel systom ard replacing both the pick-up filer inthe fueltank andthe fue ine iter. Orop the fuel tank, dump contents, wash the tank with kerosene and replace the pick-up fit. 1 Clogged PCV valve—A clogged PCV valve, orhose, upsets the air to gas ratio. Stak- ing results, Start the engine and remove the PCV valve {rom its seat in the engine. Hold your inger tightly over the tip of the valve. Lack of suction indicates a clogged system. Replace the PCV valve, which is the likely suspect, but dont overlook the possibility of a ‘logged, loose or kinked PCV hese. 1 Vacuum loss—The engine must maintain vacuum to keep from stalling andlor idling ‘ough. The engine can lose vacuum if @ vac ‘uum hose se-ving a vacuum-operated compo- rent loosens oF splits. Vacusm io aise lost if carburetor fitings loosen or the carburetor-in- take manifold gasket ruptures. ‘Connect a vacuum gauge to a vacuum port ‘on the engine. Start the engine and leit run at idle spo0d. ifthe vacuum gauge shows aread: ing below normal specification, whichis gener- ally 17-21 inches of mercury (less for some engines), examine hoses. Then, check for vac- uum loss around the carburetor and intake manifold by spreading an oil-erosene mixture Vacuum loss from alr leak around carbure- tor is pinpointed with oll-kerosene mix. around joints. An increase in vacuum on the vacuum gauge signifies that the mixture has sealed aleaking area. Tighten bolts or replace the gasket. IH Inoperative heat valve—It your engine has ‘a manifold-heat-contol valve, there is a coun- {erweight under he exhaust manifold. With the engine cold, try moving the counterweight. Iit is stuck, the vahe is stuck Lubricate the valve shaft by poking the noz- 2le of a can of manitold-heat-control valve 1v- bricant on the engine side of the counter- weight. Tap the counterweight with a hammer.If thie docen't trae the manifold-heat contro! valve, consider replacing the manfold Some engines use a vecuumr-opersted va potization valve, which is controlled by a ther- ‘mestat vacuum switch. This unit will malfune- tion if a vacuum hose loosens or splits, ifthe thermostat vacuum switch fails orf the valve binds beeause of corrosion oF dirt This device directs heated air o the intake manifold 60 fuel vaporizes as a cold engine warms up. If vaporization doesn't oceur, the fuel mixture wil be too concentrated, causing the engine to flood and stall. The same thing ‘occurs when a manifold-heat-control-valve fails to function. I Bad EGR valve—The exhaust gas recircu lation (EGR) valve should not leak. If it does, vacuum is lost and the engine wil sta Hthe type of valve onyour engine allows you to feel the rubber diaphragm, test as follows (other EGR valves have to be taken trom the ‘engine for testing): 1. Set the transmission in PARK or weuTrat and apply the parking brake. Runthe ‘engine af between 1400-1600 rpm. Letthe en- gine warm up a minute or two. 2. Place a finger under the EGR valve and disconnect the vacuum hose, En- gine speed should increase and the diaphragm ‘should move down, 3. Reconnect the hose. The diaphragm ‘snouia move Up as engine speed decreases. i these things don't happen, put your finger over the end of the nose. You should feel pull- ing. you do, vacuum is present at the hose. The EGR valve shoud be serviced or re- placed you don't feel vacuum, check the hose and carburetor port for a blockage. As a last resort replace the thermostatic vacuum switch that controls the EGR valve Inherent Stalling Problems ‘The Department of Transportation has is- ued several recalle to cure etaling probleme. Two in paficular involve 1974-76 AMC pas- ‘Senger cars and Jeeps with electronic igniton systems, and 1975-77 Chryser Corp. cars. See your dealer. ‘Some service bulletns that have been is- sued by manutacturers to eliminate inherent stalling problems are as follows: Cheyster Corp. 1975 models with Holey 2245 carbure- tor—a repair to alow the vehicle to get a cor- rect idle adjustment. SB 14-06-75. EA models—tuel system contamination leaning procedure. SB 14-17-75. 1976 California models with 400-4V en- ines—stals andlor sags at medium to heavy acceleration betore engine is warmed up. SB 14.138-76. 1 1976 models with electronic lean burn en- gines—idling andior stalling, SB 14-16-76 1977-78 models—propane assisted curb Idle speed and mixture eoting procedure. SB 14-12-78, FoMeCo 1973 six and eight-cylinder engines with air leaner valve entd duct vacuurn motor ase biy—stalling on cold engne driveaway. SB 300, 1974 Mustang and Pinto with 2000-ce en ines and manual transmission—staling on MAY 1979 ron Extonds ret Pe ray NEW EDITION POPULAR NECHANICS CATALOG OF PLANS PUBLICATIONS PROJECTS ‘A must for all homeowners and doityourselfers, Build projects the whole To mark the 75th Anniversary of Popular Mechanics, we have published brand new edition of our famous catalog of Plans, Publications, Projects. For the past severty-fve vears Popular Mechanics. Naxazine has been the feuaing pubisher'of plans’ snd. special publications "or the: doityaurseliee Now we have listed our most popular plans, and all or famous special pub: Heations, ia this brand new illustrated estalog PU's new catalog is leaded with phatos and illustrations. You'l find listings for over 800 plans and publications along with complete ordering instructions ‘Send for your catalog today! Only 50¢ postpaid. To order send coin, check or money order to: Popular Mechanics Catalog, Dept: C78, Box 1014, Radio Cty Station, New York, NY. 10019Mufflow. The do-it-yourself muffler. Now sil can install a muffler with no cutting, N 4 no experience, no special tools, no special Skil At last,a doit-yourself muffler you can really do yourself. ‘That's because with Mufflow we've developed a revolutionary \i design that makes muffler installation a lot less exhausting. Sure, you're going to get your hands dirty removing the old muffler Bat after that it’s a snap. You see, when you install a Mufflow, there's no time-consuming cutting. No special tools required. Everything you need comes in a single package: A top- quilly, OE Mctype replacement unffler mate of ng lasting, heavy gauge, double-wrapped galvanized steel, special adapter clampsto it your cars present exhaust system and compete step by-step instructions. And Mufflow meets or surpasses all govern- ment sound requirements. It's fast, easy and, not surprisingly, a lot less expensive than any Proksoral installation. ve been skeptical about changing your muffler sae iin Pica Do-it-yourself with Me as el The short-cut, no-cut, no-muff muffler.CAR cold engine driveaway. SB 71. 1974 Mustang II wah 2800-cc engnes— staling on cold engine driveaway. SB 76. 1975 models witn 351W engines—staling ‘on cold engine start-up. SB 83. 1 1975 models with 460-cu.in. engnes— staling on cold enoine driveaway. SB 91. 1978 Granada, Maverck, Monarch and ‘Comet with 302-cu-in. engine and automatic transmission—staling on heavy acceleration alter cold start SB 112 1976-77 modelswith 460-cu-in. engines— stalling on stopping and tuning. $8 130. 1977 Granada and Monarch with 250-cu.- jn. engines and automatic transmission —ctall ing with airconditioner operating. SB 125. HESITATION Tracking down the cause Engine hesitation on acoaleration, which is also called flatspot acceleration, is usually Caused Dy one of he conattons outined in te chart on the folowing page. ‘The cause of hesitaton 's usualy found in the fuel system. Causes listed under this head- ing in the troubleshooting chart are in order of diffeulty. The least dificult to troubleshoot is first. What follows is an explanation of tasks to do in an attemat to resolve hesitation. Proce ures discussed previously are listed in the charts “Refer To" column. After making each adjustment or repar, road-test your car to de~ termineif the hesitation problem has been ale- vialed. Testing throtile cable 1. Check throttle-cable movement by removing the air cleaner and observing throtle cable action as an assistant depresses and releases the accelerator pedal 2. Clean off dirt if the cable bin Use carburetor cleaner. See that the throttle lever is also dir-free. Hesitation in sorre models has been caused by a plastic retainer atthe throtle lever end of the accelerator cable sipping and catching. It this is happening, ty to regosition and secure the retainer with wire, or replace the cable Testing the accelerating pump circuit ‘A damaged accelerating pump is the No. 1 ‘cause of hesitation. The purpose ofthis pump {s to inject a quantty of gasoline into the car- Dutetor through a special accelerating circut when rapid acceleration takes place. This Quick spurt of gas compensates for the rapid ‘ush of air into the carburetor that takes place ‘during step-down acceeration. Without an accelerating pump in the carbu- retar, the ai-to-gas ratio would be thrown off, and the engine would starve for gas until the flow of fuel caught up with the rush of at. In ‘other words, engine hesitation on acceleraton would take place. “To test the accelerating pump and circuit, ‘waim up the engine. Turn off the engine and remove the carburetor air cleaner. Activate the es fever rapidly two OF new tires I fall streams of gas aren't ejected from the jets, the accelerating circuit needs work. Working on the accelerating pump The external rod that operates the acceler- ating pumpcan usually be adjusted. Check his Pi 78) Airotlnns Tag ls Stine omy ‘With twin babies, you’d a $30,000 a year job, but I wanted to mak Mant think I'd want to hang onto An accountant turned salesman, Marty started looking around for something that could make “real money.” But that ‘meant taking some risks. "I didn't have a lotto invest and I also didn’t want tobe taken in by the wal got fich quick schemes, Then Teed aa article iy Cary Corernon, president of Tey Cav, that offered a chance fo get into the car appearance maintenance business. The aicle said you could earn $30 an hour giving your neighbor's cars showroom Shines. t sounded grest butt was skeptical ‘Your own business for under $000. “When [read you could get into business for ‘under $000, i ssemed too good to be true Another benelit was that you could start part-time io try out the business before you Fad to quit that $20,000/year job. Having been en accountant I got busy figuring ou the ‘numbers.’ And, it seemed clear thatthe Tidy Car business had {tho potenual 1 grow into tne Teal money Twas looking for. And, now I'm soery hesitated at al 200 jobs in one month. Withia six months, Marty's business seas up to 200 Tidy Car jobs ina single month ‘anging from $45 fo $195 each, How our exclusive process earns big profits. Proserv-A-Shine™ is Tidy Car's exclusive surface protection treatment that goes far beyond waxing. Itis a restoring and preserving process that puts an astounding Frard-gass finish on car, truc boats an arcraft (Our exclusive Proserv-A-Shine process jon and pollution. With an car And wo guarantee that in writing, eet Gary Goranson, President bs Tidy Car Inc., Dept. PMS 1051 Clinton Street, Buffalo, N'Y. 14208, (716) see 026 TOVCAR (Ol'm interested in Tidy Cer! Please send me @ fre 14-page brochure on how to become a Tidy Gar desler. MAY 1979177and let your fingertips Ce TRC rac a re Pts eat eae a SAE DO ay te nny Saree Berean re ENAMEL eee CAR cai GUIDE "7" DIscHARG! SPRING RET PUNP LEVER PUNP PLUNGER B DURATION ‘SPRING SPRING & BALL PUNE FILL stor CUPSEAL DISCHARGE! PASSAGE Accelerating circuit's pump injects gat for rapid engine response on step-down. agjustment nrst, You may not nave to open me carburetor. “The adjustment procedure and specication for each carburetor difer, so consult your car's shop manual. The following procedure, which applies to late model Rochester 2GC carbure- torson GM cars, gives you an idea ot how the jobs done. The pump-rod specication for the 2GC carburetor is elther 11h¢ oF 12 inch, |. Back out the idle-speed adjusting ‘screw. Hold the throtte lever so the throttle valve is completely closed. 2. Place a gauge from the top of the ‘TROUBLESHOOTING HESITATION ‘CAUSES To CHECK ‘CORRECTION REFER TO Fuel Syston 2 Binding throtie cab} Choke too ean (hesitation oo curs with engine cold). 5 Matfunctioning vacuum Break or choke electie-assis! unt Tiny carburetor aged thermostat Contaminated fue. Se “Sect. 1: What You Shovid ‘Know About Chokes. ‘Sect. 1 Troublesome Thermostat Air Cleaner. Drain fuel system, Including Sect. 1: Contaminated fuel tank, flush with cleaner. Fuel. Stet. 1: Pinponting Fuel — System Falure. JT Parialy clogged Tuel Biter. Replace. Low fuel pump pressure. piace If detective Pump. j Damaged accelerating pump. Replacedefectve. SPEREX cow. 1131S. MAPLE AVE, GARDENA, C4 80248, 113/323-6182 178__ POPULAR MECHANICS ‘damaged parts. Engine a Leakiog valves. epsThe original Long Distance Oil saves gas as effectively as leading fuel economy motor oils. (ONG DISTANCE Olt 'QUART/0.946,UTRE dss With Amoco» LDO«motoroil protect- special friction-reducing additives. it to any other oil. Judge for yourself ing forat least 1,000 miles between _The tests prove that LDO delivers fuel _it’s the original Long Distance Oil. chenges, you save on motor il costs. economy equal to these other oils, ‘You eigiect mors front a lentiel: Protection in long-drain intervalsis claiming fuel savings. backed by more than 16 years of So LDO gives you both long-drain experience. intervals and fuel economy. ‘Amoco LDO hasalso beentested Get LDO wherever you buy motor cil, against the leading synthetic, and by the can or by the case. Compare other oils containing graphite and Other quality Amoco motor oils from the Lead-Free leader. AMOCO Amocos MV— Permalubeo— ea] All-seasonmulti-grade. fie} Single-grade, heavy-duty oil. SEs ry ‘Amoco Oil CompanyCAR caile GUIDE GAUGE FROM TOP OF AIR HORN RING 0 Tor OF PUMP ROD Back IDLE ADJUSTING ‘SCREW WOLD THROTTLE vaLves COMPLETELY close BENDING TOOL. BEND AOD TO aplusT ‘Adjusting accelerating pump operating rod ‘of GM Rochester 2GC carburetors. air horn to the top of the accelerating pump rod. Measure. 2.1 the distance Is not to specific: tion, bend the accelerating pump rod to attain the specties distance. ‘speed to specifica correct, a damaged acceleraiing pump isprob- ‘ably causinghesitatio. To replace the part, do this: 1. Remove the air horn. 2. Check the cup in the end of the accelerating pump. tis cracked, spit or disterted. replace the accelerating pump. The accelerating pump is usually held by a cip-pin type retainer that is removed with needle: nos pliers 3. Replace the alr horn, using a new ‘4. Make sure the air horn is tigh- toned correctly. An air leak will affect en- gine performance. Use the applicable airhhom- scren-tightening sequerces the accelerating pump falls 10 substantial discharge o! gas trom. ing pump circuit, the circuit is Cesar Career a Oa7e probably blocked or there is other carburetor damage. In any case, remove the carburetor from the engine. Disassemble, clean ard over: hhaul the carburetor wih parts contained in ‘specific rebuild kit forthe partcular model. If you don't wish o bother with rebuilding, install ‘new carburetor. A local parts deaier can help Yyou get the right overhaul kt or Engine causes of hesitation You can determine if leaking valve or re- stricted exhaust system is causing hesitation bby hooking up a vacuum gauge. The following suum-gauge needle movements are sign Sn: I The needle drops to a low reading, returns to normal, drops, returns and keeps doing this. A leaky valve exists. if your car is equipped ‘win mechanical vaive ifters, a valve adjust- ‘ment to specification may solve the problem. If ‘not, replace the bad part 1 The needle drops slowly to zer0 as engine speeds increased. There isa restriction inthe exhaust system. Look for mud clogging the tal pipe. Check for a kinked pipe. A restricted cat- lytic Converter can also causetne rouble. Re- place damaged parts. Checkpoints for shade-tree mechanics. eRe Wg RMR ko URN PRA Me Ren eran ca? elon en arena Seach teee you can use it to check your car's idle speed. (alee Nelshaach eimai nicl orem ook aoa ae ae ahaa when your transmission, clutch or wheels Piette” izomol Reh ALoe anol ore N TetR